Elder/Overseer Ministry Guide

Qualifications of Elders

Be respected as a leader.

Be orderly and modest.

Be patient and gentle.

Be able to exercise self-control.

Be able to teach the Word.

Be the husband of one wife.

Have a supportive wife.

Have well-disciplined children.

Not be a heavy drinker.

Not be easily angered or abusive.

Not be arrogant or self-centered.

Not be insecure or a lover of money.

Not be spiritually immature.

Responsibilities of Elders

To oversee the church (Acts 20:28).

To be stewards of God (Titus 1:7).

To teach the Word (1 Timothy 3:2).

To represent the church (James 5:14).

To be spiritual leaders (Acts 6:2-4).

Functions of Elders

To minister healing to the church.

To protect the flock.

To keep doctrine free from error.

To provide discipline and direction.

To maintain unity in the church.

To make decisions in matters of morals.

To impart blessings through the laying on of hands.

To minister reconciliation.

To provide a friendly spirit in the church.

Elders must be trained to:

Watch out for themselves (Acts 20:28), the flock (1 Peter 5:2-3, Acts 20:28), their home (1 Timothy

3:4-5), contentious people (Acts 20:30), and weak members (Acts 20:35).

Wait for instruction (2 Timothy 2:2), spiritual strength (Isaiah 37, Isaiah 40:31, Psalms 40:1-3),

maturity (Hebrew 6:1), and direction (Acts 16:6-10).

Warn against spiritual attacks (2 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Peter 5:8, Acts 20:28-32), divisiveness (1

Corinthians 1:10-18, Romans 16:17), deceptive doctrine (Romans 16:17), and false prophets (Acts

20:28-30).

Worship with presence (Acts 2:42, Hebrews 10:24-25), prayer (Psalm 100, 1 Timothy 2:8),

participation (Hebrews 13:15), and practice (Romans 12:1, 1 John 2:4-6).

Qualifications of Overseers

1 Timothy 3:3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop,[a] he desires a good

work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good

behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,[b] but gentle,

not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission

with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the

church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as

the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into

reproach and the snare of the devil.

"Every man ought to set as a goal to at least be qualified as an elder even if he is never called,

that kind of maturity and solidity an elder is supposed to have is just another picture of godly

biblical manhood" ~ Thabiti Anyabwile

We would recommend those that are seeking to be Elders to go thru this Video courses and also review the resources at Biblical Eldership Resources

What is Biblical Eldership? - Alexander Strauch

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